Ben Folds Five on September 18 will be reuniting to kick off their new music program sponsored by MySpace called “Front to Back.” According to a recent press release, the series will be featuring first class artists performing a seminal album of theirs live in concert. Later “Front to Back” will rebroadcast it on the official MySpace profile.

Ben Folds Five are scheduled to perform “The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner,” their last studio album” in its entirety in Chapel Hill, NC, former hometown of the band, at UNC Memorial Hall. It will be the first live show for the band in almost ten years.

In October the online concert will be aired. It will include interviews with members of the band as well as artists who were influenced and inspired by the album.

On September 8, tickets for the Ben Folds Five recording will be going on sale through etix.com. In the months ahead, more “Front to Back” performances will be announced.

Ben Folds, with his headlining tour to back his new album underway, has devised a plan for helping fans that aren’t able to see him this fall playing live still be able to hear his performances.

Folds, who continues the outing in Fort Wayne, IN on October 3, will be recording one track in 10 difference cities during the tour. Then the next day he will release them through the Apple iTunes Music Store.

Tracks will be recorded onto a Mac, then they will be previewed using an iPod. Folds will then make original cover art using the Photo Booth application from Apple and sent the next day to be put up for sale on iTunes. Once the tour has ended a live album that contains all of the 10 songs will be put together and then sold through iTunes exclusively.

Folds is touring to support “Way to Normal,” his latest studio album. The set was released last month. Dennis Herring (Modest Mouse, Elvis Costello) was the producer. The album features Ben Folds on piano and vocals, Jared Reynolds playing bass, and Sam Smith playing drums. Regina Spektor is a guest vocalist appearing on “You Don’t Know Me,” the first single from the album.

In July Folds intentionally leaked a “Way to Normal” incomplete version to the internet which consisted of some alternative versions of songs appearing on the new album as well as some melodramatic tracks. Fans of Folds argued online about how true the leak was. During an interview with Triple J Radio in Australia, Folds admitted the fake album version had been leaked as a joke he played on his fans.

Songwriter and singer Ben Folds said working in the studio two years after his divorce felt like popping open a champagne bottle after shaking for 18 months. Frenzied, perky and snarky, the third album from Folds, “Way to Normal,” celebrates him returning to his old self and his newly found freedom.

A frequently goofy, giddy, and intellectual mix of pop sing along tunes, ballads and raucous key pounding, “Way to Normal” displays the vast array of emotions and moods that Folds is able to articulate. At times they come in the same song. Making fun of crazy women, faux New Agers and himself as well, Founds sounds uncensored and refreshingly open.

His sincere tenor vocals, wit and up tempo melodies create the perfect blend of jabs, jokes, optimism and poetic sincerity. Regina Spektor, the quirky indie star, accompanies Folds on “You Don’t Know Me.” The song is a touching meditation regarding lovers who come to the realization that they don’t know some of the most important things when it comes to each other. It’s one of the album’s most sobering and poignant songs.

The sheer somberness and elegant piano chords of “Cologne” almost cover up the random lyrics, such as when Folds makes reference to the former astronaut driving 18 hours while wearing a diaper and then killing her husband. The song “Hiroshima (B B B Benny Hit His Head)” recalls an incident Folds encountered in Japan when he fell of the stage, landing on his head. “Bitch Went Nuts” is the boldest part of the album. It’s a funny, fast paced track promising mainstream appeal concerning dumped guys everywhere. Folds almost booted that song off the album because he used the word “bitch” in a song for the very first time. However he decided the tune was too fun to get rid of.

Folds in the album’s promotional material described “Way to Normal” as the best time that he has ever had recording. That feel definitely does translate when listening to the set.